Prominent U.S-based trainer Paul Kelley has joined Anthony and Amy MacDonald in their growing thestable.ca fractional ownership partnership.
"Paul Kelley is a trainer with years of experience who shares the vision of thestable.ca and what fractional ownership can do for horse racing," MacDonald said.
The Saratoga, New York-based Kelley has operated a Standardbred stable since the mid-1990s and has enjoyed success with such stellar harness horses as New York Sire Stakes champion You Want Me, and top trotter Obrigado, who has bankrolled $532,070 in 12 starts this year.
Also joining thestable.ca yearling training cooperative along with Kelley, are Andrew Harris and Kyle Fellows.
Harris is having a banner year in 2016, with his Waitlifter K finishing fourth to Marion Marauder in the Hambletonian.
An Ontario native, Harris ran Casie Coleman's barn in New Jersey, where he handled Sportswriter and Betterthancheddar. Fellows has operated his own Ontario-based stable for almost four years.
Kelley, Harris and Fellows join top conditioner Tony O'Sullivan and the MacDonalds in thestable.ca.
Andrew Harris, Anthony MacDonald, Tom Grossman and Tony O'Sullivan (Photo Supplied)
All four trainers will continue operating their own barns, but are joining thestable.ca as part of a yearling training cooperative that over time will bring more trainers, owners and youngsters into the thestable.ca's unique, single-share fractional ownership program.
Thestable.ca was created last year by MacDonald as an affordable way to bring new owners into the exciting sport of harness racing through fractional ownership. Fractional ownership with thestable.ca allows owners to purchase as little as one share in a promising yearling, an industry first.
For a yearling valued at $10,000, this means an initial investment of just $100 plus the monthly training fee of $20 to purchase a share in a promising yearling. The single-share concept has already brought dozens of new owners into harness racing with thestable.ca, attracted by its affordability and entertainment value, something MacDonald says can't help but revive a flagging industry.
Thestable.ca will be out in force at this fall's yearling sales in Ontario and throughout the U.S., scooping up good deals to pass along to their quickly growing group of owners. Breeders attracted to the program are also placing their yearlings with thestable.ca for training and sale.
In 2015, thestable.ca's first year in business, all available shares in the initial offering of 25 yearlings were sold.
The class of 2015, now two-year-olds, has graduated from the program with some notable successes, including Rose Run Speedster, who has three wins, including two OSS Gold Series races and close to $90,000 in just five races. The colt by Windsong Espoir was bought for $14,000 and is now valued at $200,000.
(with files from The Stable)